1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to a system for discharging material from a storage container, and, more specifically, to a novel chute and kickback arrangement for discharging grain or other materials from a gravity wagon.
2. Discussion of the Related Art
Farm implements, such as grain carts, seed tenders and header transports, improve harvesting efficiency in many ways. For example, grain carts allow grain to be transported from harvesting equipment in the field to trucks or wagons at the side of the field, while the harvesting equipment continues to harvest. One type of grain wagon, sometimes referred to as a gravity wagon, includes a towable chassis supporting a temporary storage container (e.g., a hopper or bin) with a discharge (e.g., a gated opening) in a lower portion of the container that allows harvested material to be unloaded via gravity. Such wagons have been widely accepted by farmers and widely produced by equipment manufacturers because of their combination of economy, versatility, production savings, and maneuverability.
In known gravity wagons, a chute may be attached to the container adjacent the discharge in order to direct grain or other material from the discharge in a desired direction (e.g., laterally outward to the side of the cart). The chute may be detachable from the container or can be adjusted between a generally upright storage or transportation position and a generally horizontal or discharge position. In known gravity wagons, a kickback is coupled to the container adjacent the chute and is configured to direct material in a desired direction, generally laterally inward towards the center of the hopper, when the chute is in the upright storage position and the discharge gate is open.
A disadvantage of known chute and kickback mechanisms is that they are heavy and must be manually positioned by an operator, which can be difficult.